Amusement apparatus.



P. HURWITZ.

MUSEMENT APPARATUS. y PFLICATQN FILED OCT. 12, IQS. 1,245,350. Patented Nov., 6, i917.

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INVENTOR. fw @uw www A TT ORNEY 5.

P. HURWITZ.

AIVIUSEMENT. APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.. I2. ISI-6.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

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BWM W ATTORNEYS Civ,

entran STATES Y' PATNT @Fm-CE' PHILIP rinnwrrz, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

AIVIUSEMENT APPARATUS.

vSpecification of Letters Patent. Patented NOV. 6, '1917.

Applicaten filed 4Octobellz, 1916. Serial No; 125,310.

To @ZZ lwlw/a it 'may concern i citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, haveinvented certain new and useful Improveniente in Amusement Apparatus, of.

which the followinglis a Specification.l l

This invention relates to an nnproved amusement apparatus and has for its obJect V- to provide an apparatus of improved con mechanical means, whereby the relative Y w speed of operation of each rider of the whole number offriders competing, may ber seen by persons who are in the audiencethis being4 the 'effect that aords entertainment kor amusement to the onlookers.l

Another object is vto combine with the above apparatus an improved means for giving a signal when a predetermined distance has been covered, and

A further object is to provide improved means for checking `the operation of the driving mechanism when the race. or the predetermined distance has been covered.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein,-

Figure 1, shows the apparatus in front elevation.

Fig. 2, illustrates the same in side view.

Fig. 3, shows one of the bicycle supports in front elevation and Fig. 4E, illustrates diagrammatically the wiring plan for electrically operating the signal and checking the driving mechanism.

In carrying out the invention I provide a platform 5, in which I form a plurality of slots 6, preferably parallel with each other, as shown in Fig. 1, oit' the drawing. Beneath the platform and in register with each slot I provide endless belts 7,-which latter travel over two spaced-apart rollers or pulleys 8 and 9. These pulleys are sustained by vertical bearing brackets 10 and 11, and each belt and its pulleys are separate and independent ot the other belts and their pulleys.

At opposite sides of each slot 6, and on the upper side of the platform there are suitable bracket supports 12 and 13 respeca g l tively which engage the r'ront and rear por- Be it known that I, Perini? HURwrrz, 4a

tions oa lbicycle iframel 1i, and sustain the latter in a. rigid uprightposition. 2 Each bicycle is lsustained over a slot6, and the front 60 wheel 15,V rests upon vthe pulley or roller 8,y which drives said front wheel freely; the

n rear or driving wheel 16, rests upon the pulley or roller 9, and'is revolved by the i'ootpedals in the usual manner through achain 17, cranks 18, and pedals 19, and during its revolution it revolves pulley 9 ,drives belt 7, and thereby revolves pulley 8, so that the front wheel 15, of the bicycle-'is revolved as well as the rear wheel, but the bicycle` does not advance because it is held therefrom by the brackets 12 and 13.

In carrying out my invention I propose to f provide a register for each machine so that the speed ofthe latter or thedistance that wouldfbe covered if the machine-were allowed to advance may be recorded.

In the presentinstance live machines are illustrated, therefore there will be vfive registers, but the number may obviously heya 80 ried, and may be more or less' than shown. l'

ris all the registers and the driving mechanism are valikel a description of one will be sucient. y i

Each bracket 13, carries a short shaft on the 4inner end Vof which there :is arsprocket Awheel 20,.to engage and be operated by the bicycle chain 17. and on the outer end, said short shaft carries another sprocket wheel 21.

A chain 22, passes around the sprocket wheel 21; then around suitable idlers 23, and finally passes around and drives a sprocket 24,` on a short worm shaft 25, of a register ing device, thereby driving said worm-shaft. Theworm-shaft has a worm 26, that meshes with and drives a worm-wheel 27 at the rear of the registering device, and this worm wheel is carried on a shaft 28, which eX- tends through to the front side of a dial face 29. A dial hand 30, is mounted on the end of the shaft 28, and turns with the latter in front of the dial.

It is believed to be clear that when the driving wheel is turned the chain 17, will operate the sprockets 20 and 21'; drive the 105 chain 22; sprocket 24, and worm shaft 25, and that the worm wheel 27, will revolve shaft 28, and turn the hand 80.

In order to clearly indicate which rider completes the race first I provide each register with an electric lamp 31, and when the hand of the dial makes a complete revela tion it will close a circuit through theA lamp. and cause the latter to be illuminated. This feature of the invention is best shown in Fig. 4, of the drawing to which reference will now be made.

The dial plate 2 9., is provided with two. electrically-insulated and spaced contact points 32, and 33, with which the hand 30, will contact when it has made a complete revolution. n nected to the lamp 3l, by a Wire 34, while a wire also lead-s from the lamp and con-' Ynects with a current-supply line 36, that leads from a current supply or battery 37'. A. wire 33, connects the other contact point 32, with a solenoid: or magnet 3,9, which latter has a function that will presently be d e'- scribed.- Another wire 40, connects the solenoid or magnet with a return wirev 4l, to the current supply or battery.

From the (above explanation it wil-'l lbe understood that when the dial hand engages the two con-tact points, 32 and 33, it will act as a switch to close the circuit from the current supply or battery 37, through the lamp, but when said hand passes from one oit' said contact-points the circuit will be broken and the light will be extinguished.

In addition to the lamp I also desire to provide an audible signal in t-he form of a bell' 42, which is simply placedr in the line 41, and will be sounded when any one of the lamp circuits vis closed.

When a racef has been completed it is de'- sirable to stop the rotation 'of the Wheels 15 and 16, of the bicycle and bringthe event to a close and to promptly do this I provide One of these points 33, is 'conl the solenoid or magnet 39, in each signal circuit which willl become energized when the circuit is closed and Will operate a rod 43, to draw a brake lever 44, against a brake pulley 45, on the shaft which carries pulley 9,l thusy applying friction to the pulley and retarding' the pulley 9 and the driving wheel 16, of the bicycle;

A weight 46, is provided on the end of lever 44, to raise the latter when the solef noid or magnet is denergized.

Having described my invention what I claim is,--

l. In an amusement apparatus the combi-V nation with bicycle having a chain driving device, of means for lsustaining the bicycle in an upright position; traveling means beneath the driv-iI-ig wheel of the bicycle; a registering' device and an endless driving device between the chain drive of the bicycle and the registering device to operate the latter. f

2. In an amusement apparatus the combination with a bicycle., of means for sustainingA the bicycle to prevent its advance! ment ,fa registering mechanism connectionsbetween' the registering mechanism and a movable part of the sustained bicycle; aY

lbrake device and' electrical means controlled 'by the, registering,l mechanism for operating the. brakev device.

In testimony whereof I aifX my signature in the presence of twowitnes'ses. PHILIP HURWITZ. Witnesses c CHARLESB. MANN,Jr., IZELLA E. BAGLEY.

Copies of' this patent mayl be obtained'y for ve; cents each, by addressing the qonrmissipner o1 Patents,A

Washington, I). C. 

